Cotton-ginning machinery



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'R. D. KINNEY.

COTTON GINNING MACHINERY. 'No. 246,276. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

N. PETERS. Phalo-Lllhogmphcr. Washington, D. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. D. KINNEY.

COTTON GINNING MACHINERY.

N0.-2 46,276. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

Inven Zor mznasser N. PUERs. Pholuilllmgmpimr. Washington. D. C.

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 3.

R. D. KINNEY.

COTTON GINNING MACHINERY. No. 246,276. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

jfnvenior 5 Phowumu m lw, wunin mn, D.c. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT D. KINNEY, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

COTTON-GINNING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,276, dated August 23, 1881.

Application filed February 21, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoB'r. D. KINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in OottonGinning Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements'in that class of machinery used for obtaining the lint or fiber from seed-cotton; and it consists in the application of mechanism by which the cotton-roll within the roll-box is made to revolve with a longitudinal reciprocating motion for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of the gin.

In the present operation of the cotton-gin the contact of the saws with the roll is continually in the same path or plane of revolution, so that the saws form by their constant action over the same course a groove, which becomes filled more or less with cleaned seed. These seeds, lying in the course of the saws action,impair their efficiency by preventing other seed-cotton coming freely in contact with the teeth.

The object of my invention is to obviate this impediment, which I accomplish by changing the course of the saws contact with the roll by imparting to the roll a longitudinal reciprocating movement in combination with its present rotary motion. To do this I make use of the device known in mechanics as the worm or screw gear. This device is connected to the end of a shaft, serving as the axis of the cotton-roll, by bearin gs allowing no movement lengthwise on its journals at those bearings, which move with the reciprocating motion of the shaft. The screw of the wormgear placed on the end of the shaft revolves with it and actuates the gear. The gear has connected to it, eccentric to its axis, the end of a link, the other of which is fastened to the roll-box head or other suitable fixed connection. This shaft, forming the axis of the cotton-roll, revolves on journals having bearings at each end of the roll-box or cotton-hopper. The part of the shaft forming the core of the roll has disks at each end of the roll, forming ends therefor. Between those disks the shaft is adapted so as to take hold of the cotton-roll, so that both will rotate together. As the shaft (No model.)

revolves with and carries the cotton-roll the resulting movement of the screw-gear, in combination with the link, causes the shaft, and with it the cotton-roll, to revolve with a longitudinal reciprocating motion. The bearings connecting the screw-gear to the shaft are formed so as to serve as a casing, also for the purpose of excluding the dirt from the device.

Instead of the disks fastened on the shaft, suitable plates or disks can be attached to the ends of cotton-box, and held in position by springs, to accommodate the reciprocating motion of the cotton-roll. I prefer the use of the disks fastened on the shaft, as hereinafter more fully set forth. I am aware that revolving heads for the ends of the cotton-roll are in use, but shall include in my claims their application for this purpose in combination with the reciprocating shaft carrying them. Other means than those described can be employed to produce this reciprocating motion of the cotton-roll-for instance, a screw having a rightand-left-handed thread carried byvthe shaft above described, in combination with a piv-' oted fork the prongs of which are adapted to follow the thread in a manner similar to the devices used on some forms of printing-presses for distributing the ink; or the worm and gear above described can be applied so that the screws journals would serve as a journal for the reciprocating shaft which passes through the hub of the screw, and free to move endwise, but prevented from revolving within the hub of the screw by a groove and feather or spline. The link then being fastened to the end of the shaft, the same result can be accomplished by causing the saw-shaft and ribs to reciprocate parallel with the axis of the cotton-roll; or the entire cotton-box, exclusive of the ribs and saws, can be made to reciprocate sent a new surface of seed-cotton to the saws, but, if effected at all, is only partially so, as the principle of the operation consists in distortin g or cramping the cotton-roll, and relies upon its expanding again, which tends rather to break the roll without obviating the impediment caused by the cleaned seed, as above explained.

My invention further consists of improvements on the roll-box or cotton -hopper, by which the delay and annoyance incident to the breaking of cotton -rolls while in operation are avoided.

The present means employed when the cotton-roll breaks, or is not hard or dense as desired, is to fill in the box by fastening a strip of wood or other suitable material on the top side of the box, so as to cause a pressure on the roll at this point.

My invention is to hinge the top side of the roll-box, locating the bin ge-joint back of a vertical plane passing through the axis of the cotton-roll, and extend the movable edge to a point in or on the outside of said vertical plane, and adapted to admit of adjustment toward or from the center or axis of the cotton-roll, according to the degree of pressure desired, and is held in position by bolts or other suitable fastening at the ends, and at intermediate points if required, on account of the flexible nature of the material employed.

I am aware that adjustable devices for creating pressures against the cotton-roll are employed within the roll-box back of a line or plane vertically through the axis of the cotton-roll, and will include in my claims the invention of an adjustable pressure-board forming one of the sides of the roll-box, and having its point of greatest pressure directly in or outward from the vertical plane through the axis of the cotton-roll, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

My improvementfurther consists of the combination of a rotating motor or whipping-brush In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use, the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts.

Figure l is an enlarged transverse vertical section of Fig. 4 at dotted line a "f. Fig. 2

It consists of a revolving brush is an enlarged partial longitudinal vertical sec tion at line a b of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a vertical section at dotted line 0 d of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a cotton-gin, showing my improvements attached. Fig. 5is an end view of Fig. 4.

I represents the frame of a cotton-gin. G are the saws; G, the saw-shaft, and G the main driving pulley. H is the strippingbrush; H, the brush-shaft pulley; N, the lower, and O the upper, breast-board, to which the ribs S and roll-box ends A are fastened. The roll-box is fastened to the frame in the usual way. L is the front of the roll-box; V, the seed-board, which can be made straight, as shown in section, Fig. 1, or curved to correspond to the periphery of the cotton-roll, as may be desired. It is well, however, to keep in mind the object to make the inside of the roll-box as round and free from irregularities as practicable, excepting those deviations from a cylindrical outline specially provided. N is a filling-in piece, of any suitable proportions, to make a finish between the ribs and pressboard K. P is the division-board, and T the belt-tightener. These parts may he made in any of the usual and known ways.

M is the reciprocating shaft forming the axis of the cotton-roll, and is actuated by the cotton-roll, means being provided for preventing the roll turning on the shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, in which i t are projections for this purpose, in combination with the disks or revolving heads F,which, in combination with link D, produce the reciprocation motion of the shaft M.

U is a casing forming the bearings for the journals of the screw B and gear 0, and also a covering to protect the device from dust and dirt. This casing or hearing is fastened on the end of shaft M, as shown, and moves back and forth with the longitudinal reciprocating motion of this shaft, accordingly as the pin or fasteningj connecting the link 1) to the gear is actuated from one side of the gcars axis of revolution to the other. The extentand rapidity of this reciprocating movement is proportional to the diameter and pitch of the gear 0.

The heads or ends A of the cotton-box are recessed sufficient to admit the ends of the cotton-roll to revolve with a longitudinal reciprocating motion on its axial line within said recess, as shown in Fig. 1, in which F is the disk or revolving head of the cotton-roll, and h the wall of the recess. The disks F are located on the shaft so that when the shaft is at one end of its longitudinal movement the disk will be flush with the inside of the heads A, while the disk on the opposite end will be back in the recess the extent of its lateral travel. One of the ends A supports a lug or means of fastening for the linkD, as showninFigs. 2 and 4. Both heads have holes J and g for fastening the adjustable press-board K, hereinafter more fully described. The hole 9 is oblong, of which the major axis is a chord of an arc having its radial line through the center of hole IIS J. The oblong hole 9 is located above a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the cotton-roll, and in, or outside, toward the front of the gin from a vertical plane passing through the axis of the cotton-roll. Fig. 3 shows adetail section through the hole g, Abeing the roll-box end, K the adjustable press-board, and g a joint-bolt, applied as shown, for holding the board K in position when adjusted. The journals of the shaft M are long enough to allow the endwise movement, and of parallel diameter. The linkD has two arms for fastening to the gear, as shown.

The cotton-hopper or roll-box is formed by the heads or ends A, the top or adjustable pressure-board K, the front L, seed-board V, ribs S S, and filling-in piece N. The heads or ends Aare fastened to the breast-boards O and N and set up against the end ribs, as shown, being bolted to the breast-boards through lugs or flanges, as in the usual way. Bearings for the shaft M are bolted or cast on and recess for the disks F provided, as hereinbefore set forth. These heads A can be made to fit over the saw-shaft, as shown in dotted lineinFig.1.

The adj ustable pressure-board K, forming the top of the box,'is made concave on the inside, to correspond to the circumference of the cotton-roll, and connected to the hopper by hinges and bolts, as shown, or other fastenings adapted to admit of adjustment toward or from the axis of the cotton-roll, so that pressure is effected on the roll at a point in or forward of a vertical plane passing through its axis, as shown.

The rotating moter or brush E'is made solid on account of its small diameter and high rate of revolution, requiring rigidity. The bristles are fastened on it in any of the known and usual ways practiced in fastening bristles on the strippingbrush. Suitable hearings or boxes for its journals are fastened to the frame of the gin, as shown at E in Fig. 5. Motion is communicated to it from the brush-belt, as shown by dottedlines in Figs. 1 and 5,in which H is the stripping-brush pulley, G the brushdriver on end of saw-shaft, and E this moter pulley, and T the tightener.

Care must be observed to connect the belt so that the moterE is made to revolve in the same direction as the saw-shaft and in contact with the saws, so that the bristles extend against and below the roots of the teeth.

The guide or division board It is placed on an incline, as shown in Fig. 1, to deflect the motes and sand down between the saws under the gin.

Having thus fully described my invention and the construction of its parts, I now pro ceed to explain its mode of operation substantially as follow:

Seed -cotton, bein g fed into the cotton-hop per, forms in a roll around the shaft M between the disks F, and is acted on by the saws G, causing it to revolve, and with it the shaft M, actuating the gear Gthrough the screw B, causing the shaft M to move with a longitudinal reciprocating motion, and with it the cottonroll, thereby changing the position of the surface of the latter in its contact with the saws. The lint carried away by the teeth of the saws is brushed or beaten by the brush E before it reaches the stripping'brush, from whence it passes into the condenser or lint-room, as the case may be.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of saws G and brush H with a longitudinal reciprocating cotton-roll revolving in contact with said saws G, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of saws G, brush H, and

brush E with alongitudinal reciprocating cotton-roll revolving in contact with the periphery of said saws G, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of saws G, brush H, and adjustable pressure-board K with a longitudinal reciprocating cotton roll revolving in contact with said saws G, substantially as set forth.

4. An improved cotton-hopper or roll-box on cotton-gins, having ends A adapted for the movement of a horizontal longitudinal reciprocating shaft, M, with disks F, projections z, in combination with or without pressure-board K, substantially as and for the purpose specifled.

5. The combination of link D, gear G,screw B, shaft M, revolving disks F, projections i t, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of link D, gear 0, screw B, shaft M, revolving disks F, projections i -i with saws G and brush H, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of the heads A, having recess h to receive disks F, shaft M, disk F, screw B, casing U, gear 0, link D with saws G and brush H, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of an adjustable pressure-board,.K, heads A, having holes J and g, with saws G and brush H, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the rotating brush E and division or partition R with saws G and 7 brush H, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of an adjustable pressure-board, K, heads A, having recess-h, and holes J and g, shaft M, disks F, screw B, gear 0, casing U, and link D with the saws G and brush H, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand.

ROBT. D. KINNEY.

Witnesses:

JOEL E. GHAMBLiss, HENRY THARPE. 

